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Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
* Catwoman, aka Selina Kyle, now runs an escort service. * Lana Lang, TV broadcaster and fierce defender of Batman's vigilantism. * Mayor, the unnamed Mayor of Gotham City. He tried to negotiate with the Mutant Leader only to be killed by him. * Deputy Mayor Stevenson, the deputy mayor of Gotham City. After the unnamed Mayor is killed, Deputy Mayor Stevenson is sworn in as the new Mayor of Gotham City. Reputation Upon its publication, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns turned the comic book industry on its ear. It helped to introduce an era of more adult-oriented storytelling to the mainstream world of superhero comic books, and it received media attention the likes of which had never been seen before in a medium long believed to be little more than children's entertainment. This story, along with Alan Moore's Watchmen (published in the same year) and Art Spiegelman's Maus, helped to raise the medium to a more mature level of literature, and it ushered in the popularity of graphic novels as a form of literature that truly differs from "child-oriented comic books." Critics have accused this story of giving birth to the era of "grim and gritty" comic books that lasted from the late 1980s through the early 1990s, when comic books took many adult-oriented themes (especially explicit violence and sexual content) to "the limits of decency." Although the Batman has rarely been as obsessive and powerful a figure as Miller depicts him here, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns was tremendously influential; since the work was originally published, Miller's portrayal of the character as a dark and compulsive figure has dominated most Batman projects to at least some degree. This includes the 1989 Batman film directed by Tim Burton which drew upon Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (as well as Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's graphic novel Batman: The Killing Joke) as a major influence. Some have criticized Dark Knight for eventually causing Batman to become a "psycho" in mainstream DC continuity (which is how some view him today), but it is important to note that in the context of the story, Batman's extreme and obsessive actions are a direct result of his overcompensating for his guilt over giving up his life as Batman ten years ago and thus breaking his childhood vow to wage war against crime. Another innovation is the way in which the superheroes address one another by name (i.e. as "Bruce", "Clark" or "Oliver"). The U.S. officials always refer to Superman as "Kent." The name "Superman" is never even used in the story. The super-heroes look upon their relationship with ordinary humans as a "them" and "us" situation, and Batman is criticized for not realizing "how they've changed!" This us versus them mentality that is developed amongst the super-heroes is a theme that is widespread and used in several other comics, most notably Kingdom Come. Another controversial criticism is that Dick Grayson, the first Robin and the current Nightwing, is not included in the storyline at all. Miller has stated that he wanted it to focus entirely on Batman and those around him. Dick is mentioned but he and Bruce are not on speaking terms. However, Miller's innovations were not solely limited to characterization. He adopted innovative visual styles and "tricks," many adapted from movies (especially film noir). These included dividing pages into many more frames than usual to give the impression of slow motion (possibly the best comic book interpretation of Thomas and Martha Wayne's murders is achieved by this technique). Also, Miller contrasts many smaller frames against grand backdrops of Batman leaping or brooding over the cityscape; creates "montages" of fast-paced events through rapidly changing commentators, alternated with snippets of the actions being described and builds suspense to the appearance of classic characters by hiding their actions and appearance in shadows (not just the first depiction of Batman, but Superman and Green Arrow as well). Miller also heavily featured television "talking heads" throughout the work. Numerous public figures were blatantly lampooned, including Ronald Reagan, Dr. Ruth and David Letterman, adding to the suspension of disbelief that made the comic not realistic, but an example of the hyper-realism that would later reach its peak in Miller's Sin City. While there is a generic and omniscient narrator, the most important narration comes from inside various character's heads: Batman, Jim Gordon, Robin, Catwoman, Alfred and even the Joker are all opened up to examination. The trade paperback is one of DC's best selling books and is constantly in print. The book is also available in several hardcover editions. In August 2006, DC Comics released an Absolute Edition of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Absolute Dark Knight includes commentary and scripts by Frank Miller, as well as an extended sketch section. In 2001 and 2002, DC Comics published Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Miller's controversial sequel to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Despite a heavy promotional campaign by the publisher, the book failed to gain the same acceptance from some fans that the original story received. The sequel, which differs drastically in style from the original, received mixed reviews but was one of DC's biggest selling titles of the time. An "Absolute Dark Knight" version of this series was published as well. In 2015 and 2016, DC Comics released Dark Knight III: The Master Race, another sequel to Miller's Dark Knight saga, which was published as an eight part limited series starting in November 2015. The plot takes place three years after the events of The Dark Knight Strikes Again. Despite generally positive critical reaction to Miller's art styles, fan commentary has been mixed; some have praised the works for their unique looks, while others have lamented the more stylized visuals. | Issues = * * * * | Vehicles = | Items = | Weapons = | Notes = | Trivia = | RecommendedReading = * Batman: Year One * All-Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder * Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again * Holy Terror, Batman! | Links = }} Category:Earth-31